Respect everyone’s battles. Respect that everyone has it hard, or harder, than you do.

One time I was interviewing a transvestite prostitute. She told me her parents had been in jail since she was a kid.

She got into trouble when she was young and was raped in every juvenile detention center she was in until she was so hopelessly confused as to her sexuality that she didn’t know if she was a man or a woman.

And now that she is halfway in between, she was afraid to walk around during the day and have people stare at her.

I had no way to relate to her at all. My life seemed stupid. But I guess I felt like I was often an outsider. So I asked her about that.

So she talked and talked. Finally someone to talk to.

INTERRUPT!

I do a podcast. I’ve interviewed hundreds of people. But the one hour I get to spend with that person is the only time I will EVER get to talk to them.

And they often have their canned answers. You HAVE to interrupt.

I tell them in advance, “I’m sorry but if I get insanely curious about something you say, is it ok if I interrupt?”